Growth in employment, wages and housing have helped put Boulder County and Colorado in "pretty good shape" for 2013, but further gains could be hindered by any hiccups on the national level, University of Colorado economist Richard Wobbekind said Wednesday.

"I do think Colorado's going to have a great year, but I am a little more nervous about what the national economy might do to the state," Wobbekind said during the keynote speech at the annual economic forecast presented by the Boulder Economic Council.

Wobbekind expressed disappointment at the recent "fiscal cliff" discussions, noting that while the initial agreements saved the nation from diving into another recession, not enough immediate focus was placed on revenue-generating items and large-scale cuts.

The initial resolution could result in about $600 billion in savings during the next 10 years. What's needed is $3.2 trillion, he said, adding the nation is at risk to be downgraded.

"This is not a pretty picture," he said.

He expressed additional concern that the solutions on the federal level could put a greater burden on state governments' finances.

Locally and regionally, the picture is brighter.

Boulder County, which continues to outpace both the state and the nation in job growth, last month notched a return to "peak" employment levels of 55 months back, he said.

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Wages surpassed the previous peak during the first quarter of last year and are at their highest levels, he said. The region's housing market has turned around -- foreclosure filings have dropped significantly and home prices have ticked higher -- and 2013 should mark the biggest year in Boulder County's history for residential, commercial and infrastructure construction, he said.

The state is expected to add about 42,100 jobs in 2013, with every sector except for information -- which includes publishing and telecom -- to post employment gains.

"The trajectory is such that Colorado is really in good shape," he said.

Employers remain mostly optimistic on economic growth in Colorado, Wobbekind said, citing the most recent Leeds Business Confidence Index quarterly survey. For the first quarter of 2013, the index measured 51.3, down from 51.6 in the fourth quarter.

Wobbekind attributed the decline to uncertainty about the national economy and hiring expectations.

A bright spot on the national employment picture is continued wage increases. The increase in household wealth -- which Wobbekind projects to see a 1.1 percent gain in 2013 -- is helping to increase consumer confidence and lower debt burdens.

Retail sales are growing at a 5 percent annual tick, and automobile sales continued to climb.

"We're getting back to more normal consumption patterns," he said.

The amount of personal income spent monthly on debts is back to early-1990s levels, he said.

Future employment gains could be limited because of the length of time people have been without work. Some "structurally unemployed" run the risk of not having the right skills required for the jobs available.

"We need to be thinking about how we're educating people as the jobs develop forward," he said.

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